Third Man and Fine Leg: Understanding the Backward Fielding Positions
Third man (behind the off-stump slip cordon, deep on the off side) and fine leg (behind square on the leg side, near the boundary) are two of cricket's most frequently used outfield positions — yet they are often confused by new cricket fans. These fielding positions are critical for containing edge runs, off glances, and cut shots. Understanding these positions is essential for following field-setting and tactical discussions.
Understanding field position nomenclature: cricket field positions are named based on their location relative to the batsman and pitch. The batsman stands at one end of the pitch; the stumps are behind them. 'Square' means level with the crease (perpendicular to the pitch). 'Fine' means closer to the wicketkeeper's line (behind the wicket). 'Deep' means toward the boundary. 'Backward' means behind the batsman's line of sight (toward the stumps end). Using these descriptors: fine leg = 'fine' (close to the keeper line) + 'leg' (on the leg side) = backward position on the leg side. Third man = a specific named position at deep fine leg equivalent on the off side — positioned between backward point and the keeper, toward the boundary. Square leg = level with the crease on the leg side. Point = level with the crease on the off side.
Third Man Position
Third man explained: third man is positioned at deep backward point (approximately 45 degrees behind the batsman on the off side, toward the boundary). The name 'third man' comes from the traditional fielding arrangement where the first man is the wicketkeeper, the second man is first slip, and the third fielder positioned in that same 'backward off-side' arc is therefore the 'third man'. When third man is used: (1) to stop edge runs from fast bowling (when the batsman edges to the off side and the ball beats slip, it travels toward the third man area); (2) to save the boundary on the cut shot (when a batsman cuts a short ball between point and backward point, the ball can reach the third man boundary if there is no fielder there); (3) against batsmen who favour the cut or late cut (deflecting the ball from close to their body to the off side behind the wicket). Common scenarios: in Test cricket, third man is typically placed with a slip cordon against fast bowling — the third man covers the edge that beats the slips. In limited-overs cricket, third man and fine leg are almost always occupied for the entire match (saving one-boundary edges and glances).
Leg Slip and Leg Gully
Close-in leg side positions: in addition to the deep positions, the leg side has close-in fielding positions used in specific tactical situations: Leg slip: positioned directly behind square leg, close to the batsman — one or two metres behind the crease line, on the leg side. Leg slip catches inside edges that go behind square — a right-handed batsman's inside edge (bat face deflecting the ball toward the leg side) can fly directly to leg slip at catching height. Leg gully: positioned at right angles to the wicket on the leg side, close in — roughly where square leg would be but close to the batsman. Leg gully catches balls that brush the glove, pad, or bat leading edge and fly to the leg side. When are these positions used: leg slip and leg gully are primarily used in Test cricket against: (1) fast bowlers bowling at the batsman's body on a bouncy pitch (a flinching batsman may inside-edge to leg slip); (2) off-spinners bowling on a turning pitch (the edge from an off-break going to leg is a common close-in catch). These positions are rarely used in T20 cricket (too close-in for the batting aggression typical in T20).
Cow Corner and Long On
Other important positions — cow corner, long on, and long off: Long on: positioned behind the non-striker's end, on the leg side (straight but on the on side). Long on is used in death overs (T20 and ODI) to save the straight six hit over mid-on. The fielder at long on must cover a large portion of the on-side boundary. Long off: positioned behind the non-striker's end, on the off side (straight but on the off side). Long off saves sixes hit straight over mid-off. Cow corner: an informal name for a specific area of the leg side deep and wide — between mid-wicket boundary and the long on boundary. Cow corner is the target for the slog sweep shot (a ball swept across the line and hit high over the deep mid-wicket boundary). It was historically associated with batsmen who slog rather than play orthodox shots — 'cows' being an informal term for poor batters. In modern T20 cricket, cow corner is now a regularly targeted area by elite batsmen (Jos Buttler, Hardik Pandya, Chris Gayle) — the slog sweep to cow corner has become a legitimate power-hitting technique rather than just an agricultural shot.
Frequently asked questions
What is a fine leg fielder in cricket?
A fine leg fielder in cricket is positioned on the leg side (the batsman's left side for a right-handed batsman), behind the batsman and toward the boundary — approximately 45 degrees behind square on the leg side, at or near the boundary rope. The 'fine' part of the name means 'close to the keeper's line' (behind the batsman's line) — distinguishing it from square leg (level with the crease) or backward square leg (between square and fine). Fine leg's primary responsibilities: (1) saving the boundary from leg glances — when a batsman deflects the ball off the inside edge or pad toward the fine leg boundary; (2) stopping hook and pull shot boundaries — when a batsman hooks a short delivery, the ball often goes to fine leg or behind square; (3) in death overs, fine leg is almost always occupied in limited-overs cricket because the leg side area is vulnerable to late deflections and hooks. The fine leg fielder needs to be able to cover significant ground quickly (a large area of the boundary to patrol) and have an accurate arm for throws back to the wicketkeeper. Deep fine leg: when fine leg is said without qualification, it typically means deep fine leg (near the boundary) — the 'short fine leg' or 'leg slip' position is the close-in variant.
What is third man in cricket?
Third man in cricket is an outfield fielding position located on the off side (the batsman's right side for a right-handed batsman), behind the batsman — approximately 45 degrees behind the wicketkeeper, toward the boundary. Third man is the off-side equivalent of fine leg on the leg side. The position covers: edges off the bat that travel backward past the slip cordon (an edge too fine for point, too straight for cover); late cuts (when the batsman cuts a ball very late, guiding it toward the off-side boundary behind square); and deflections off the bat's outer edge that run toward the boundary. The name 'third man' originates from traditional cricket positioning: the wicketkeeper is the first man behind the stumps; first slip is the second man; the next fielder placed in that backward off-side arc is the third man. Third man is used in: Test cricket (alongside slip fielders, to cover edges that beat the slip cordon); limited-overs cricket (almost always occupied in death overs to save boundary edges and late cuts). The fielder at third man typically needs a good arm for long throws back to the wicketkeeper or the bowler's end, as the position is near the boundary on the off side.
What does silly mid-on mean in cricket?
Silly mid-on (also written silly mid-on or silly mid on) is a very close-in fielding position on the leg side — placed approximately 5-10 metres from the batsman, on the on side (leg side), roughly in line with the crease or just ahead of it. The 'silly' prefix means 'dangerously close to the batsman' — positions prefixed with 'silly' are so close that the fielder risks injury from a hard hit ball. Silly mid-on's purpose: to catch close-in catches that pop up toward the on side off a bat-and-pad combination, an accidental deflection, or a leading edge off a forward defensive stroke. Typically used against: (1) spin bowlers on turning pitches (where batsmen playing forward defensively may pop the ball up toward the on side off a combined bat-and-pad contact); (2) off-spinners specifically (the ball turning from off to leg can create on-side close catches). Risks: a batsman who hits the ball firmly toward silly mid-on presents serious injury risk for the fielder — the position is at comfortable hitting distance from the bat's power zone. Fielders at silly mid-on and related positions (silly point, short leg) typically wear full padding (helmet, shin guards, chest guard, and protective box). The position is rarely used in T20 or limited-overs cricket (too dangerous given the aggressive batting).